Bahasa Indonesian | Asia Society Skip to main content

Unsupported Browser Detected.
It seems the web browser you're using doesn't support some of the features of this site. For the best experience, we recommend using a modern browser that supports the features of this website. We recommend Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, or Microsoft Edge

  • Chinese Language Learning
    • Mandarin Jumpstart
    • National Chinese Language Conference
    • Teaching Resources Hub
    • Language Learning Supporters
  • Global Education
    • About Global Competence
    • Global Competency Resources
    • Teaching for Global Understanding
    • Thought Leadership
  • Discover Asia
    • Asia Society Kids Booklists
    • Cooking with STEAM
    • Global Learning
  • About
    • About
    • Results and Opportunities
    • News and Events
Search
Education
  • Chinese Language Learning
    • Mandarin Jumpstart
    • National Chinese Language Conference
    • Teaching Resources Hub
    • Language Learning Supporters
  • Global Education
    • About Global Competence
    • Global Competency Resources
    • Teaching for Global Understanding
    • Thought Leadership
  • Discover Asia
    • Asia Society Kids Booklists
    • Cooking with STEAM
    • Global Learning
  • About
    • About
    • Results and Opportunities
    • News and Events

Bahasa Indonesian

Indonesian students (sektordua/flickr)

Indonesian is a form of Malay, spoken in Indonesia. The term “Indonesian” is political rather than linguistic, as Indonesian Malay (called Bahasa Indonesia in Indonesia) is virtually identical with Bahasa Melayu, another variety of Malay, as spoken in Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei. The term “Indonesian” was adopted in the beginning of the 20th century, as Indonesian became the national language of Indonesia.

There are about 35,000,000 first language speakers of Indonesian, and about over 150,000,000 second language speakers. Outside Indonesia, Indonesian is spoken in the Netherlands, Phillipines, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, and the US. (Source: http://www.lmp.ucla.edu/Profile.aspx?LangID=89&menu=004)

Bahasa Indonesian has been listed as a critical language by the American State Department since 9/11/2001 because of our strategic business and security interests in the Muslim world. Indonesia is the most populous nation of Southeast Asia (the fourth largest population in the world) and the most populous Muslim majority nation in the world. It is a resource and mineral rich nation. The bulk of its exports go to Japan and America. The American state department sees Indonesian prosperity and security as central to maintaining security in Southeast Asia. We work closely with the Indonesian government to promote democracy, develop the resource rich nation and prevent terrorism in Southeast Asia.

In 2007 the United States exported $4,235 million to Indonesia. This amount has increased by 432% since 1985. In 2007 the United States has imported $14,301 million in goods from Indonesia, an increase of 213% since 1985.

According to the 2000 census there are 46,698 Indonesian speakers in the United States. In 2006, 301 higher education students were studying Indonesian. There are no measurable amount of Indonesian language students in grades K-12.

Linguistic affiliation

Indonesian belongs to the Austronesian language family. The Austronesian language family is one of the largest linguistic families of the world. According to the most widely accepted classification of the Austronesian languages, Indonesian belongs to the Western branch of the Malayo-Polynesian group of the Austronesian family. According to Ethnologue, Indonesian is classified in the following way: Indonesian < Local Malay < Malayan < Malaic < Sundic < Western < Malayo-Polynesian < Austronesian. Related languages include Javanese, Madurese, and Sundanese.

Language variation

The dialectal differences among the speakers of Indonesian are insignificant, although there are some lexical differences between the two varieties of Malay, spoken in Indonesia on the one hand and Malaysia on the other hand. Indonesian Malay has been influenced to some extent by Javanese. Standard Indonesian pronunciation is based on the language of Jakarta.

Role in society

Indonesian is the official language of Indonesia. The standard dialect of Indonesia is that of the capital, Jakarta (island of Java). The Jakartan dialect has been influenced to some extent by Javanese and Sundanese, other two major languages of Indonesia. There is an 88.5% literacy rate.

History

It is believed that the homeland of Malay was in Sumatra (western Indonesia), and proto-Malay people came there shortly before the beginning of our era. The earliest texts, written in an archaic form of Malay, date back to the 7th century AD. These early texts (stone inscriptions) were written in the ancient Pallavi script, which evolved out of southern varieties of Indian Brahmi script. They were created in the early stages of the Srivijaya empire, a powerful Buddhist state, and one of the most powerful states and main cultural centers of that time. Its capital was Palembang, one of the largest cities of that time. In the course of time Srivijaya declined, and was succeeded by other empires, the most extensive of which was the one established by the successors of prince Vijaya, with the capital Majapahit. This empire underwent a major crisis in the middle of the 15th century, and gradually disintegrated. In the 15th century Indonesia adopted Islamic faith, and has been predominantly Islamic until the present day.

During the epoch of Srivijaya and other empires, Indonesia was an important trade center, and Malay emerged as the main trade language of the region. In the course of time, under influence from the languages of traders of non-Indonesian origins, such as Arabic, Chinese, later also Western European (Portuguese and Dutch), this language underwent major changes, becoming essentially a pidgin language. The Malay spoken by traders, was generally called “bazaar Malay”. On the contrary, the Malay as spoken in the Indonesian court remained more or less unaltered. Court Malay is considered “classical Malay” and is the language in which the large corpus of medieval Malay literature was written. The beginning of the 20th century marked the beginning of a new era for the Indonesian language. In 1928, the Indonesian Youth Congress took place in Jakarta, and in this Congress it was decided that Indonesia should have an official national language, which would thenceforth be called “Indonesian” (bahasa Indonesia). As the base for this language, classical Malay was selected. The pronunciation of Jakarta was chosen as the standard Indonesian pronunciation. (Source:
Language Materials Project http://www.lmp.ucla.edu/Profile.aspx?LangID=89&menu=004)

You Might Also Like

Microfinance programs offer financial services to help start small businesses.

Microfinance: Seeds of Change

Microfinance enables people to escape a cycle of poverty by giving them loans to start a trade or business and savings accounts to accrue interest.
Royal Thai dancers. (kanaka/flickr)
article

Women in Southeast Asia

Southeast Asia women enjoyed relatively favorable position compared to neighboring states. Learn why.
Halong Bay, Vietnam (cranrob/flickr)
article

Vietnam: What's in a Name?

Vietnam had many names--and identities--over the centuries.
Tale of Kiêu
article

Tale of Kiêu

A classic story known by all Vietnamese.
Vietnam (HKmPUA/flickr)

Vietnam

A short essay on Vietnam's geopolitical history, from pre-civilization times to the 21th century.
Geography of China (mote/flickr)
article

Understanding the Geography of China

This background essay introduces the diversity of China's natural and man-made features.
Angkor Wat (tylerdurden1/flickr)
article

The Legacy of Angkor

Angkor Wat in Cambodia, today known as a World Heritage Site, is also a vestige of a great inland SE Asian empire.
An immigrant Punjabi family in America c. 1900s
article

The Desi Diaspora

The world events and many adversities that shaped overseas Indians' sense of unity and identity over the past two centuries.
Temple in Vietnam (vicguinda/Flickr)
article

Religion in Vietnam

An introductory essay on Vietnamese world view throughout the ages.
A Christian shrine in the Philippines (lyng883/Flickr)
article

Religion in the Philippines

The Philippines boasts to be the only Christian nation in Asia. Learn about its religious diversity and history.
Reamker dancers in Cambodia. (lecercle/flickr)
article

Reamker

This essay explores the theme of cultural diffusion by examining how the Indian epic, Ramayana, manifested itself in Cambodia.
Muslim women in Indonesia (vikz/flickr)
article

Islam in Southeast Asia

An essay about the spread of Islam into Southeast Asia and how religion and expression fit within societal contexts.
A map of Southeast Asia
article

Introduction to Southeast Asia

Southeast Asia is a geographically diverse region with equally diverse lifestyles and traditions throughout human history.
Monks at Angkor Wat (Beggs/Flickr)
resource

Diversity and Unity

A look at ethnicity, gender, family, religious beliefs, food, and fashion in Islamic Southeast Asia.
Angkor Wat, Cambodia. (rodliam/flickr)

Cambodia: A Historical Overview

A brief history of Cambodia, from earliest settlements to great kingdoms and its current efforts to rebuilding civil society.
At a Lunar New Parade in Chinatown in New York City. (ziggy fresh/flickr)

Asian Customs and Values

An essay about Asian American bicultural identity, traditional values, and customs from root cultures.
Japanese Americans at the Tule Lake Segregation Center in Newell, CA, ca. 1942

Asian Americans Then and Now

A look at the long history of Asian Americans and its role in shaping American identity.
Civil Rights Memorial Fountain

Asian Americans and US-Asia Relations

How issues of race and power have shaped both popular attitudes and foreign policy for 300 years.

Pagination

  • Current page 1
  • Page 2
  • Next page Next
  • Last page Last

Connect With Us

Asia Society
725 Park Avenue
New York, NY 10021
t: 212-327-9260
education@asiasociety.org

Follow Our Blog on Education Week

Newsletter

Related Content

  • resource

    Islamic Influence on Southeast Asian Visual Arts, Literature, and Performance

    This essay looks at Islam's influence on the arts of Southeast Asia.
  • article

    Islam in Southeast Asia

    An essay about the spread of Islam into Southeast Asia and how religion and expression fit within societal contexts.
  • resource

    Diversity and Unity

    A look at ethnicity, gender, family, religious beliefs, food, and fashion in Islamic Southeast Asia.
About
  • Mission & History
  • Our People
  • Become a Member
  • Career Opportunities
  • Corporate Involvement
visit us
  • Hong Kong
  • New York
  • Texas
global network
  • Australia
  • France
  • India
  • Japan
  • Korea
  • Northern California
  • Philippines
  • Southern California
  • Switzerland
  • Washington, D.C.
resources
  • Arts
  • Asia Society Magazine
  • ChinaFile
  • Current Affairs
  • Education
  • For Kids
  • Policy
  • Video
shop
  • AsiaStore
initiatives
  • Arts & Museum Summit
  • Asia 21 Young Leaders
  • Asia Arts Game Changer Awards
  • Asia Game Changer Awards
  • Asia Society Museum: The Asia Arts & Museum Network
  • Asia Society Policy Institute
  • Asian Women Empowered
  • Center on U.S.-China Relations
  • Coal + Ice
  • Creative Voices of Muslim Asia
  • Global Cities Education Network
  • Global Talent Initiatives
  • U.S.-Asia Entertainment Summit
  • U.S.-China Dialogue
  • U.S.-China Museum Summit
Connect
Email Signup For the media
Asia Society logo
©2023 Asia Society | Privacy Statement | Accessibility | Terms & Conditions | Sitemap | Contact

Asia Society takes no institutional position on policy issues and has no affiliation with any government.
The views expressed by Asia Society staff, fellows, experts, report authors, program speakers, board members, and other affiliates are solely their own. Learn more.

 

 

  • Visit Us
  • Hong Kong
  • New York
  • Texas
  • Global Network
  • Australia
  • France
  • India
  • Japan
  • Korea
  • Northern California
  • Philippines
  • Southern California
  • Switzerland
  • Washington, DC